LETTERS: DENTISTS STEER CLEAR OF MEDICAID

To the editor:

I am writing in regard to our dentists and medical coverage from public assistance in Missouri.

I have a friend who has diabetes. Due to this disease, she has lost one of her eyes and has had to have a kidney transplant (thanks to a donation from her brother). It's obvious that she is in need of public assistance due to her disabilities, unlike some of our population.

She also has a 4-year-old child who lost a cap on one of his teeth. Of course, this needed to be replaced. She and I both called several dentists in Cape Girardeau, and we all know there are several. Not one dentist in our very large town would take a medical card to cover this child's medical needs.

It really saddens me to think that our health-care providers are so money hungry that they have to be paid cash to cap a 4-year-old's tooth. What happened to our so-called code of ethics? These dentists say they are losing money, which I find hard to believe, because they are paid by the state for these services.

LORIE TANNER

Cape Girardeau

EDITOR'S NOTE: There are three dentists in Cape Girardeau and one in Jackson who take Medicaid patients, but there are so overwhelmed by demand that they are booked weeks in advance. In addition, Medicaid reimbursement for dental services pays only a fraction of the customary charge. As a result, most dentists in this area do not accept Medicaid patients.